How to become Parisian in one hour?

"Cute" was the word my friend used yesterday when we were leaving the Théatre de la Main d'Or, after watching this one man show. I dare quoting her as I find it quite fair, considerably accurate. "Sympa" might be a good equivalent in French in this case.

Olivier Giraud conducts the show in English, of course with a French accent. For about an hour and fifteen minutes he illustrates the audience with a number of tips to understand and mimetize at convenience the typical Parisian people's behaviours. That is to say, those stereotypes that earned world fame, and which anyone who has been in Paris for a while had to encounter at some point. If it was not on a daily basis. The way Olivier mimics the facial gestures, the body language and the verbal expressions most typical of Parisians is as remarkable as it is hilarious. He makes fun of everyone, from himself to the French in general including the audience and other nationalities. He is funny but always kind. Cute.

Through comparing Parisians mainly to (North)Americans, out of his own personal experience, he also reproduces a trend deeply enshrined in the French national psique, by which they compare themselves mainly with no less than the USofA. Even if, too often, dimensions force them to wrap themselves in the European flag in order to do so. In any event, in this case the comparison works, because the (North)Americans are also subject to their own stereotypes, and in many respects they have a totally different approach to things which, in contrast and if cleverly taken as Olivier does, can be very funny.

However, I would recommend this show mainly to recent newcomers, frequent visitors and adventurous tourists. For people who have been here for a while, it might be "cute", but not necessarily exhilarating. Because, for instance, if one has had to fight more than once with the likes of the "customer service" commodity companies usually have in France, the risk is finding this show just not that funny. I had a good time, though.

Irina Bokova

Mrs. Irina Bokova, nominated candidate to Director-General of UNESCO, appears in France 24 (Interview in English).

Times of change

Since 6 September I have been working without interruption except for one day, Sunday 13. I was seconded to one of the Commissions of UNESCO’s Executive Board. Amongst the decisions to take there was the nomination of a candidate to the post of Director-General, which is tantamount to the election of a Director-General, unless there would be an unexpected and never seen before battle at the upcoming General Conference.

During these very exciting weeks I could observe from the inside an intergovernmental negotiation at the highest level, to put it in nice words. A great learning moment that, for the time being, will only be commented in private as to all its various dimensions. Nine candidates; five ballots. An opaque process with people negotiating in our name, as they stand to “defend the interest of our [respective] country[ies]”, which has in my view two fundamental problems: on the one hand, everything happens in secret, behind closed doors. This leaves too wide a margin for this high interest of our respective countries (States is a much more appropriate term) to become “so high” that in the end it relates much more to the interest of a small minority than to the general interest. This happens quite often. In the end, if one lives in a more or less democratic state, at least there is some space left for accountability. Otherwise everything remains in the unique and private domain of an elite. An elite that, for most countries, is nothing but one of the main obstacles to human development.

On the other hand, I have fundamental doubts about the interest of humankind being the result of the mere addition of the interests expressed along these division lines that we have given ourselves basically through centuries of fights. To put it differently and using an example, if we look at what is happening in terms of response to Climate Change, we can see everyone concentrating mostly on short-term interest, while it seems that no one really thinks about a longer term, in this very future generations everyone invokes. Yes I know, this is a much longer discussion and my view is rather pessimistic. Anyway, there will be more entries.

In any event, the final result of this game is Egypt 27, Bulgaria 31. While I warmly welcome the fact that for the first time in history there will be a female Director General of UNESCO (Yes, a WOMAN, Mrs. Irina Bokova, this is indeed historic!), I remind and underscore that I was always a great fan of Mr. Hristo Stoichkov, whom I could see live many times, scoring many goals. In addition I express my satisfaction of the fact that, lately, there are no problems in my private life. It must be that I actually do not have one.

More information will follow. For the time being I can say that I am happy. And that I would not be if the Egyptian candidate had been elected, out of both candidate's profile and vision statements. There will be more, in person. By now it is time to carry on working, since as my mother use to tell me, “it is those who are tired who do the work” –free translation from Catalan, as the rest of the article-. Moreover, my salary is paid by the taxpayer. So have a good night.

PS: the pictures are, respectively, from early August and from yesterday. It is “the yard” at UNESCO’s HQ. The corner is Av. Lowendal with Av. Suffren.